Dismal Swamp Canal
 

Has anyone with a boat drawing as much as 6 ft recently transited the Dismal
Swamp Canal ?
A friend is a few days away from making the detour and I am trying to find
the conditions for him.
I'll check w/ COE tomorrow, but I'd rather have first hand info.
TIA

Garland Gray II wrote:
Has anyone with a boat drawing as much as 6 ft recently transited the Dismal
Swamp Canal ?
A friend is a few days away from making the detour and I am trying to find
the conditions for him.
I'll check w/ COE tomorrow, but I'd rather have first hand info.
TIA



My understanding is that they won't open it if the depth goes under 6
feet.
You might call the visitors center number listed he
http://www.icw-net.com/DSCwelcome/

In article 11nwe.141815$sy6.47332@lakeread04,
"Garland Gray II" wrote:

Has anyone with a boat drawing as much as 6 ft recently transited the
Dismal Swamp Canal ? A friend is a few days away from making the
detour and I am trying to find the conditions for him.

Considering the wet weather we've been having, I suspect that
he/she/they will have no problem. If they're open, 6' will have zero
problem in my experience.

Whether or not they do the Dismal Swamp, I highly recommend Elizabeth
City, even if they do the Virginia Cut and it's out of the way. Most
cruiser-friendly city I've found, though Oriental and Oxford aren't too
far behind.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

"Garland Gray II" wrote:
Has anyone with a boat drawing as much as 6 ft recently transited the
Dismal Swamp Canal ? A friend is a few days away from making the
detour and I am trying to find the conditions for him.


The best thing to do is call the lock keeper on the radio, or cell
phone. If south bound, Great Bridge lock/bridge keeper, if northbound,
South Mills. They'll tell you exactly what conditions in the canal are
and what the locking hours are.

Jere Lull wrote:
Considering the wet weather we've been having, I suspect that
he/she/they will have no problem. If they're open, 6' will have zero
problem in my experience.


Agreed, but I'd add that it's likely to bump a stump or two. The Dismal
seems to have more than it's share of snags. But you can't go very fast
in there anyway, so it's not a big problem.



Whether or not they do the Dismal Swamp, I highly recommend Elizabeth
City, even if they do the Virginia Cut and it's out of the way. Most
cruiser-friendly city I've found, though Oriental and Oxford aren't too
far behind.


Elizabeth City is a pretty good stop, although the docks aren't much...
and the upper Pasquotank is really beautiful. It's well worth the time
to visit.

Fresh Breezes- Doug king

DSK wrote:

"Garland Gray II" wrote:
Has anyone with a boat drawing as much as 6 ft recently transited the
Dismal Swamp Canal ? A friend is a few days away from making the
detour and I am trying to find the conditions for him.

When we went through in the fall of 2003, just after Isabel, the lock
keeper at Deep Creek told us that a guy with a 7' draft had just been
through the canal and said he didn't have any real trouble. The
bottom is probably soft mud.

The best thing to do is call the lock keeper on the radio, or cell
phone. If south bound, Great Bridge lock/bridge keeper,

If I am not mistaken, I think Great Bridge is the lock on the Virginia
Cut. The north end of the Dismal Swamp is Deep Creek.

if northbound,
South Mills. They'll tell you exactly what conditions in the canal are
and what the locking hours are.

Unless locking is restricted due to low water, the locking hours are
always the same, and is the same at both locks - 4 times a day and I
think it is 9, 11, 1:30 and 3:30 or something like that.

Anyway, the best place to call would probably be the Corps of
Engineers in Norfolk for that information.

Jere Lull wrote:
Considering the wet weather we've been having, I suspect that
he/she/they will have no problem. If they're open, 6' will have zero
problem in my experience.


Agreed, but I'd add that it's likely to bump a stump or two. The Dismal
seems to have more than it's share of snags. But you can't go very fast
in there anyway, so it's not a big problem.

We draw 5' and we always get a lot of things bumping into our hull.
It is not usually a problem. Some pictures of the 2003 trip

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/445ce/#TL
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/4468b/#TL
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/44693/#TL
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/446c0/#TL

Whether or not they do the Dismal Swamp, I highly recommend Elizabeth
City, even if they do the Virginia Cut and it's out of the way. Most
cruiser-friendly city I've found, though Oriental and Oxford aren't too
far behind.


Elizabeth City is a pretty good stop, although the docks aren't much...
and the upper Pasquotank is really beautiful. It's well worth the time
to visit.

The docks were rebuilt after Isabel - have you been since then?

Also, you don't have to take the free docks if you don't want to.

grandma Rosalie
http://www12.virtualtourist.com/m/4a9c6/

Rosalie B. wrote:
If I am not mistaken, I think Great Bridge is the lock on the Virginia
Cut. The north end of the Dismal Swamp is Deep Creek.


OOops... you're right. Thanks for the correction.


Unless locking is restricted due to low water, the locking hours are
always the same, and is the same at both locks - 4 times a day and I
think it is 9, 11, 1:30 and 3:30 or something like that.


Hmm.. last I heard, they were only doing two lockings a day, but the
second lock opening was late.


Anyway, the best place to call would probably be the Corps of
Engineers in Norfolk for that information.


They might or might not have the real deal, the locks are operated by
civilian contractors not COE. But they will give you the phone number
for the lock keeper, we called on his cell phone but I don't have the
number handy. Sometimes they don't answer the radio, but if there's a
boat waiting for a locking, the people on the boat will answer.



We draw 5' and we always get a lot of things bumping into our hull.
It is not usually a problem. Some pictures of the 2003 trip

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/445ce/#TL
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/4468b/#TL
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/44693/#TL
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/446c0/#TL


Great pics... thanks... I have some of our last trip
http://community.webshots.com/album/93684773IwAbxX


Elizabeth City is a pretty good stop, although the docks aren't much...
and the upper Pasquotank is really beautiful. It's well worth the time
to visit.


The docks were rebuilt after Isabel - have you been since then?

No, we were there just before.


Also, you don't have to take the free docks if you don't want to.


That's true, but most people traveling the ICW are always eager to grab
a freebie. There are a couple of nice marinas there and some choice
spots to anchor out too. It's also one of the few places where you can
pull up to the hospital by boat (or use to could, don't know if that
dock is still there after the hurricane).

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Fresh Breezes- Doug King



Aren't we supposed to be SAILING OFFSHORE, not slogging along in a ditch?

I thought that's why they called them SAILBOATS.....?????

--
Larry

You know you've had a rough night when you wake up and you're outlined in
chalk.

Larry W4CSC wrote:
Fresh Breezes- Doug King




Aren't we supposed to be SAILING OFFSHORE, not slogging along in a ditch?

Why? Do you hear voices telling you what you're supposed to be doing?


I thought that's why they called them SAILBOATS.....?????

Yup. You haven't lived until you've carried sail in the Dismal. Upwind.

Thanks; they may have heard from passing boats.

"Jeff" wrote in message
...
Garland Gray II wrote:
Has anyone with a boat drawing as much as 6 ft recently transited the
Dismal
Swamp Canal ?
A friend is a few days away from making the detour and I am trying to
find
the conditions for him.
I'll check w/ COE tomorrow, but I'd rather have first hand info.
TIA



My understanding is that they won't open it if the depth goes under 6
feet.
You might call the visitors center number listed he
http://www.icw-net.com/DSCwelcome/

In article ,
Larry W4CSC wrote:

Aren't we supposed to be SAILING OFFSHORE, not slogging along in a ditch?

Not necessarily. Part of our reason for cruising is to "stop and smell
the roses" along the way, and Dismal Swamp is great. If I just wanted to
get someplace, I'd fly. It's cheaper and several hundred times faster.

I thought that's why they called them SAILBOATS.....?????

We're cruisers, not fanatics.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/